People Change

“Just tune them out, Sydney. Just tune them out. They are grown adults and they are dating and they should be able to enjoy each other. Sure, they could enjoy each other at Matt’s house, where there’s privacy and I don’t have to hear their noises, but perhaps they have their reasons. Just act like it’s not happening...” Sydney muttered underneath her breath, concentrating on the television. All she could hear, though, was Matt and Lanie releasing their sexual tension in Lanie’s bedroom.

“Oh, God...” Lanie moaned. Sydney turned the television off and launched to her feet, grabbing her purse and pulling her phone out of her back pocket. She walked towards the door and slipped a pair of flip-flops on, sliding her phone open and finding Brian’s number in her list of contacts. She refused to listen to her best friend having an adventure between the sheets.

‘Hey, Brian, Lanie and Matt are releasing their sexual tension right now. I’ve been wanting to go swimsuit shopping, but I need a male opinion. Care to come with?’

Sydney sent the text and walked out the front door, closing it securely behind her and descending carefully down the metal steps. She stood leaning against the back wall of the bakery for a few moments before Brian’s reply came through.

’Does this mean I’ll get to see you in sexy swimsuits?’

Sydney quickly replied with a “Yes”. It didn’t take long at all for Brian to answer.

’Sure, I’ll share my opinion with you. Meet me at the mall?’

Sydney sent back a text saying that sounded great before walking towards her car, pulling her keys out of her purse.

A few minutes later, she pulled into the empty parking space next to Brian’s SUV. Before she had a chance to open the door, Brian appeared and opened it for her, offering a hand to help her out. Sydney smiled and accepted his hand, allowing him to pull her from the car and shut the door behind her. She tucked her purse under her arm and led the way into the mall.

“So, Lanie and Matt aren’t abstaining, are they?” Brian said conversationally as they walked into the mall. Sydney laughed and shook her head, leading the way towards her favorite swimsuit store. “It doesn’t surprise me much.”

“Lanie really doesn’t jump into a sexual relationship like that,” Sydney replied thoughtfully as they stepped into the store. “So, either she’s just really horny, or there’s something special about Matt that makes her think he’ll be around for a long time. And if he isn’t around for a long time and is just using her, I will shove my foot so far up his ass my foot will come back out his mouth. My leg is long enough to do that, too.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Brian said, highly amused as Sydney began to look through the swimsuits. “So, do you shop for new swimsuits every year?”

“Every other year,” Sydney corrected. “The one I have now is really starting to look washed out. I wanted a new, sexy swimsuit for this summer. I remember in high school, I dreaded shopping for swimsuits. But now, I love it, probably because I can wear any one I want now without worrying.”

After about fifteen minutes of careful scrutinizing on Sydney’s part, none of which Brian understood the use of, she’d picked out five possible candidates for her final swimsuit. She sat Brian in a chair across from her dressing room and disappeared behind the door. Brian was reminded strongly of the scene in The New Guy where Gil is swimsuit shopping with Danielle. Brian tried not to stare at the strip of Sydney’s legs he could see—from her foot about halfway up her calf—as the pile of her clothing grew. Finally, he just directed his gaze towards the ceiling, thinking about grandmothers and other things his little buddy didn’t like.

“So, what do you think?” Sydney asked. Brian snapped his gaze back to her body, slowly sitting straighter in his chair. She wore a polka dot one-piece, and Brian had to admit she looked very good in it.

“You look fine to me.”

“Well, I’ll just try all of them on and you can tell me which one’s the best.”

Before Brian could reply, Sydney disappeared back into the dressing room, securely locking the door behind her. Over the next ten minutes, Sydney tried on several swimsuits. After the polka dot one, she tried on a bright red swimsuit with a giant hole cut out in the side and with only one shoulder strap. Then, she tried on a swimsuit with shorts and a white bikini top with peace signs on it. After that, she tried on a very promising one piece that was only a one piece by a thin strip of material slicing through her stomach.

And then, she stepped out in the most promising of all: a purple striped bikini and a purple halter bikini top. Brian instantly knew he was sold. Of course, it helped that purple was his favorite color.

“That one’s the one,” Brian said instantly upon seeing Sydney step out.

“It’s just because it’s purple, isn’t it?” Sydney protested, looking down at herself.

“No,” Brian replied. “I think it looks very nice on you. It works with your skin tone, and it goes fabulous with your hair, and I’m sure if you went to the beach in that, the surfers would abandon the waves in favor of riding you instead.”

“Brian!” Sydney scolded, her blue eyes widening.

“What?” Brian answered. “Listen, Syds, that’s the one. The other ones, they were sexy too, but this is the surefire winner. Just look at yourself in the mirror. It’s absolutely gorgeous. I think you should buy it.”

“Hey, baby, you single?” A guy across the store, standing among the racks of men’s swimwear, called at Sydney, not even bothering to hide the fact that his eyes were skimming up and down Sydney’s body. She blushed and crossed her arms self-consciously over her chest, starting back towards the dressing room.

“What do you think I am, you moron?” Brian called back, rising to his feet. Sydney paused in the doorway of the dressing room, glancing back and forth between the stranger and Brian. “I can tell you that I’m not her gay friend!”

The guy quickly turned around and started rifling aimlessly through the trunks behind him. Brian sat back down, his glare softening at the smile Sydney gave him.

“Thanks,” Sydney said, backing into the dressing room.

“No problem,” Brian replied nonchalantly back. Sydney just smiled wider before closing the door.

“I’m buying the purple one, by the way. Just for you,” she called, and Brian couldn’t help but grin.